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The Falconer’s Lure by A.J. Marcus ~ Book Review by Christine

I am a huge bird lover and was quite intrigued by the opportunity to read a m/m romance that included falconry, a Renaissance Faire, and a homeless youth searching for a way to make a life for himself.

Blurb:

A Ren Faire Romance

Watching birds of prey soar gives Garret Nicholson a sense of peace. It’s exactly what he needs after his recent break-up. His ex never understood Garret’s work with the raptors, but the birds have been part of his life for years. Garret spends his time between The Sky’s the Limit Raptor Rehab Center and his dad’s falconry show at the Hawkwood Fantasy Faire, trying to prove to himself and his father he has what it takes to be a great falconer.

Trevor DePalma is in awe, but he isn’t sure whether the man or the falcons fascinate him more. Watching the birds perform at the Faire gives Trevor the first taste of joy he’s had since his father threw him out two years ago. Bonding with Garret over their mutual love of birds, Trevor eagerly learns all he can, and Garret proves a willing teacher. But as feelings grow, Trevor worries how Garret will react when he learns Trevor is homeless.

Life on the street is growing more dangerous for Trevor and his friends. Garret offers him safe space to find his feet. As the world crashes around them, Garret and Trevor will need each other’s support in ways they’ve never imagined.

My View:

Garret Nicholson and Trevor DePalma are two young men who meet at a Renaissance Faire and are instantly attracted. Twenty-year-old Garrett, a falconer at the faire, works hard with raptors and dreams of being a Master falconer and making his father proud. Trevor is a bit younger, homeless, and wants to get off the streets and make his own way after being rejected by his family two years prior. The two forge a relationship as Garret teaches Trevor about the birds and about what it means to love someone. However, obstacles stand in the way of budding romance as the dangers and stigma of homelessness and past hurts threaten the strength of the boys’ love and commitment.

The Falconer’s Lure is a tender romance about two young men finding each other as they share a love for birds. Their instant bond continues to grow and strengthen as Trevor learns more about raptors and about the life and supportive community of the Renaissance Faire. I enjoyed the new information I learned about these amazing birds of prey and found the scenes with Comet the Lanner falcon and the rest of the feathered characters to be the highlight of the story. The birds had personalities of their own and served to educate and astound me as my respect for these beautiful creatures continued to grow. I applaud the author’s ability to weave so much detail about them into this gentle love story and my appreciation for their magnificence has grown exponentially.

The main characters of Garret and Trevor are also appealing and sweet. Their discovery of one another and the development of their relationship over the course of their time at the Faire are charming. Trevor makes the most growth during the story as he strives to gain skills and get off the streets, and Garret is strong in his desire to prove his abilities and independence to his father. Secondary adult characters also play positive roles as mentors to the two young men, and I enjoyed getting to know the colorful Renaissance Faire personalities.

To me, this story read almost like a YA or New Adult romance. The writing, though quite clean, seemed a bit too simple and literal. I would have liked to see a bit more imagery and detailed descriptions, as too much of the story was presented through telling and dialogue rather than vivid narrative for my taste. Although I truly enjoyed these two boys and their love for the birds and each other, I didn’t feel their emotions as much as I was told about them. That being said, the story was solidly plotted and well edited, and the HFN ending was believable and satisfying.

Overall, I thought The Falconer’s Lure was a pleasant story of young love. With its likable characters, colorful setting, and added bonus of gorgeous raptors, I recommend it for a light, enjoyable read.

Buy Links

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with the eARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

Farewell Giveaway
I have a number of paperbacks, most of which are signed, to giveaway. Over the between now (11 Mar 2017) and 31 Mar 2017, every comment on the blog (this post and all other new posts), will be entered to win 1 of these paperbacks. There are also some misc swag items, so there will be a few packs of these to give away as well.

Thank you so much for your support over the last 4 years. Prism will be closing its doors on 1 April 2017. All content will remain available, but no new content will appear after 31 Mar 2017. As such all request forms have been turned off. Again Thank you,